1. Technical Field
The present subject matter relates to computer webcams. More specifically, it relates to a privacy shield for a webcam.
2. Description of Related Art
Over the last 10-15 years, webcams have become an increasingly popular peripheral for personal computers. At first, webcams were stand-alone devices with an analog video connection to the computer, but gradually, a USB interface became the defacto standard for the interface to a stand-alone webcam. A common usage model was to plug the webcam into the computer if an application that would use the webcam was going to be used, such as a video chat application. Once the user was done with using the application, the webcam could be unplugged and put away. Some webcams included a privacy shield, such as a mechanical shutter, that allowed the lens to be covered if the user wanted to block the view from the webcam for privacy reasons.
Various types of malware have also become increasingly common over the last 10-15 years. Malware may take many forms, including, but not limited to, computer viruses, Trojan horse software, spyware, ad-ware, or misbehaving applications. In some cases, malware has been designed to hijack a webcam and send video from the webcam to another computer over a network, which might be in the next room, across the country, or anywhere in the world, if the webcam is coupled to an internet connected device.
Recently, webcams have become nearly standard equipment on notebook computers, as well as tablets and smartphones. Most webcams on notebook computers, tablets, and smartphones do not include a privacy shield. This may be due to market demands for thin form factors or other reasons. If no privacy shield is included, malware may be able to hijack the webcam without the user's permission or knowledge, which may allow the malware to spy on the user, invading their privacy. Still and/or video images acquired by the malware may be embarrassing, or even dangerous, to the user. In some cases, images from the malware have been posted to social media sites, embarrassing the subject of the images and leading to potential damage to the subject's social and business relationships. Criminals may even attempt to use such images to blackmail the subject. Users of traditional webcams can avert hijacking of the webcam by simply unplugging the webcam, but if the webcam is built into the device, and the device needs to be left on for some reason, this is not possible. This leaves people that may engage in activities that they wish to keep private vulnerable to malware which may hijack the webcam of a nearby device.